This invention relates to drum practice pads of the type used by drummers when warming up or practicing for a performance. Such practice pads are useful in hotel rooms, class rooms and other locations where it is desired to minimize the noise level.
It frequently happens that a drum player would like to warm up or practice in a location where loud noises are objectionable. One example would be a hotel room where the drummer is spending the night before a performance. Another example would be a home location at a time of night when neighbors would be likely to complain. A further example would be a school music room where several students are taking drum lessons at the same time. In such cases, it would be desirable for the drummer to practice without making the usual rather loud drum sounds.
A known solution is to use a rubber pad glued to a piece of particle board as a drum practice pad. The drummer goes through his routine by hitting his drum sticks on one or more of these rubber pads, in place of real drums. This solves the noise problem, but the results are not very satisfactory. The rubber pad and particle board doesn""t feel like a real drum and doesn""t produce a very satisfying or meaningful sound. In particular, the particle board is acoustically dead and had no tonal quality. Also, if two or more of these pads are used to simulate two or more different drums, all of the pads sound pretty much the same and it is next to impossible to hear any sort of musical pattern. Consequently, there is a considerable need for an improved drum practice pad having a more realistic feel and producing a more pleasing sound.
The present invention provides a new and improved drum practice pad of relatively simple construction which produces a pleasing but not overly loud sound. In a representative embodiment, this improved drum practice pad is comprised of a flat circular piece of hard material having a flat circular piece of resilient material bonded to the upper surface of the hard material. Sound insulating cushions are affixed to the lower surface of the hard material for supporting the hard material in an acoustically-floating manner during use. In use, the drum player strikes his drum sticks on the resilient material in the same manner as he would against the playing surface of a drum. In a preferred embodiment, the hard material is wood and the resilient material is rubber.
A further feature of the present invention is that a plural-pitch or multiple-pitch set of drum pads can be provided for simulating two or more different drums. Different pitches are produced by using different thicknesses and/or different size diameters for the wood or other hard material. With different pitches, recognizable musical patterns can be produced. As such, this combination provides a plural-pitch drum-like musical instrument for playing musical rhythmic patterns.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further advantages and features thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the scope of the invention being pointed out in the appended claims.